Support



A ril 6, 1965 v. L. MOULTON 3,176,949

SUPPORT Filed Jan. 24, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Vaewow A. BY

April 6, 1965 v v. L. MOULTON 3,176,949

SUPPORT Filed Jan. 24, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VEN TOR.

Vee/vazv A. Moon-01v United States Patent M 3,176,943 SUFPORT Vernon L.Moulton, Sidney, Mont. (Fairfield, Mont.) Filed Jan. 24, 1964, Ser. No.340,060 4 Claims. (or. 248-147) This invention pertains broadly tosupports, and more specifically, to support means particularly adaptedfor use in association with containers having cover means.

A basic objective of this invention is to supply a support for a coveredreceptacle, such as a refuse can, wherein the support includes means forplacement and removal of the cover from the receptacle without manualhandling thereof. This invention provides a construction embodying afoot controlled actuating means which permits the operator to use bothhands in the placement of materials into the receptacle. In the handlingof bulky, and often otherwise objectionable refuse materials, it isquite inconvenient to put the materials down having once lifted thesame, remove the cover of a refuse container, pick up the materials onceagain, and place them in the container, and finally replace the cover.Apparatus of the instant invention supplies an actuating means whichlocates the container at a convenient height for use, and provides footand gravity operated means for placement and removal of the covertherefrom.

Another object of this invention is to provide a support and coveractuating means as described above which is adapted for use withexisting receptacles and covers, and which prevents the loss ofreceptacle covers.

Yet another objective of the invention resides in the provision of acontainer and support assembly therefor wherein removal of the cover byanimals, wind, or other undesired means is effectively prevented.

A still further object is to provide a container support of thecharacter hereinbefore described, of variable dimension, whereby it isusable with containers of various sizes.

Among the additional objects and advantages of this invention are theprovision of a support and actuating means as aforesaid, which isnoncomplex in construction and assembly, relatively inexpensive tomanufacture, and durable in use.

Other and further objects and advantages of this invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of thefollowing specification when read in conjunction with the annexeddrawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view, showing a support and coveredcontainer, constructed and assembled in accordance with the teachings ofthis invention, and showing in phantom lines the open position of thecover;

FiGURE 2 is an end view on the scale of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the support, the container being removedtherefrom;

FIGURE 4 is a reduced scale, perspective view of the support hereof;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged, detail sectional view, taken substantially onthe section line 5-5 of FIGURE 2, looking in the direction of thearrows; and

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged perspective view of a spring clip employedherein.

Proceeding to a more detailed description of the invention and initiallyto a container 19 representative of the type of device with which theinvention is adapted for use, such container is shown in FIGURES 1 and2. The container 18 may have a cylindrical, upwardly flaring side wall12 with a lower end portion 14 and upper end 16 the lower end having abase wall 18 extended thereacross and closing the same. The upper end 16is provided with a removable cover 20 which has a generally centrallydisposed, upwardly projecting handle 22 thereon of inverted EdibfiiPatented Apr. 6, l9fi5 U-shape defining an opening 24. The container orreceptacle 10 is, of course, conventional and representative of the typeof container device with which the present invention is used.

The apparatus of the present invention comprising a container supportand cover actuation means, is best seen in assembled condition in FIGURE4 wherein it is generally identified by reference numeral 26. Thesupport and means 26 includes an annular ring member 28 having an innerside 30 and an outer side 32, and having a plurality of generallyrectangular support members 34 suitably secured (as by Welds 36) to theinner side 30 in a box-like arrangement within the ring member 28 toprovide a subjacent support for the base wall 18 of the container 10. Aplurality of leg members 38, each comprised of angularly related bars aswith integral feet 42, is provided, and the leg members are located atthe corners 44 of the boxlike arrangement of support members 34 with thefeet 42 aligned with the corners 44 and the bars 40 secured to the innersides 30 on opposite sides of each corner 44, as best seen in FIGURE 3.This arrangement provides maximum stability for the support when a heavycontainer 10 is placed therein. The leg members 38 serve to space thering upwardly from a supporting surface 46 such as the floor or groundtherebeneath.

A substantially rectangular, rigid guide member 48 is secured by welds50 on each side of the ring 28 at selected angles, and each has anoutwardly bent portion 52 with a. slot 54 formed therein. Also secured,as by welds 56, to opposite support members 34 are depending,substantially rectangular brackets 58 with apertures 60 formedthereinthe brackets serving to support an actuating bail assembly 62.

The bail assembly 62 includes a substantially U-shaped main bail portionincluding a foot engaged bight portion 64 from the ends of which extendside elements 66. The elements 66 include intermediate bent portions 68which provide bearing portions pivotally engaged in the apertures 6t) ofthe brackets 58. At their outer ends, the side elements 66 areoppositely, outwardly bent to provide laterally extended end portions70.

Secured pivotally to each extended end portion 70 of the respective sideelements 66 are connection bracket means 72 comprising a plate 74(FIGURE 5) with a first a'pertured arm 76 and a second, elongatedapertured arm 78, the apertures in said arms being coaligned and theportions 70 extending therethrough. The outer end of the arm 73 has areverted portion 80 provided with a clamping screw and nut 82.

Cover lifting and tilting arms 84 are supplied, and each has a lower end86 clamped in the rebent portions 80, and an opposite upper end 88integrally or otherwise connected to a top member 90. As seen in thedrawing, the arms 84 extend slidably through the slots 54 of the bentend portions 52 of guide member 48, and the height thereof is variableby reason of the connections 80, to accommodate containers 10 of variousheights as appears in more detail below.

At a generally central location, vertically aigned with the handle 22 ofthe container cover 28', the top member 99 has a raised, outwardlyextended portion 92 dimensioned to extend across the handle 22 and of alength at least greater than the length of the handle. An annular band94 is fixed, as by welds 96, to the top member beneath the portion 92and is of a diameter such that it extends about the cover handle 22, asseen in FIGURE 2. With reference to FIGURE 6, shown therein is a springclip 92; formed of a suitable spring material, and having a generallystraight central portion 100, and spring arms 102 extending therefrom oneach side with inturned ends 104 adapted to releasably grip the band 94as best seen in FIGURE 4.

The container 10 is mounted in the apparatus 26 in t the manner shown inFIGURES 1 and 2, with the base wall 18 thereof resting on the supportmembers 34, and the arms 84 are adjusted in thebrackets 72 to a locationwherein the band 94 of the top member 90 extends about the handle 22.The clip 98 is then extended through the handle opening 24 and the ends104 are secured to the band 94, resulting in a clamping of the handle 22between the clip 9 8 and the central portion 92 of the member 99.

In operation, the operator removes the cover '26 by depressing the bightportion 64 of the bail assembly 62 with the foot, as seen in FIGURE 1,thus pivoting the bail about the bearing portions 68 and causing the endportions 70 to raise the .arms 84 through the guides 48 in the pathillustrated. When the foot is removed, the cover gravitates to a closedposition.

Having described and illustrated an embodiment of this invention in somedetail, it will be understood that this description and illustration areoffered merely by Way of example, and that the invention is to belimited in scope only by the appended claims.

What is claimed is: 1. A stand assembly for use with refuse container orthe like having a substantially cylindrical, upwardly flaring,

side wall with an open upper end and a lower end, a'base wall extendedacross the lower end, a cover removably secured on the upper end, andthecover having an upwardly extending, substantially U'shaped handle,the stand assembly comprising:

an annular ring member extending about the container 'lower end;

plural support members secured to the ring member and supporting thecontainer base wall;

a plurality of leg members secured to the ring member to support thesame in spaced location upwardly from a supporting surface;

outwardly extending guide members, having slots formed therein, securedto the ring member on opposite sides thereof;

support brackets, having apertures therein, depending from the supportmembers at spaced locations beneath the ring member; I

an actuating bail assembly, including a substantially U-shaped main bailportion with a foot engaged bight portion and side elements withintermediate bearing portions, the bearing portions being pivotallyjournalled in the apertures of said support brackets, and the sideelements having outwardly extended end portions;

connection bracket means pivotally secured to the end portions of theside elements;

cover actuating arm means including elongated side being extended acrossthe container cover with a band extending about the handle thereof; and

a spring clip, releasably secured to the band and clamping the handleagainst the central portion.

2. A stand assembly for use with a container comprising:

a horizontally-disposed ring member,

a plurality of support members disposed within said ring member andsecured to the inner side of said ring member and adapted to support thebase of a container,

a plurality of leg members secured to the ring member to support thesame in spaced relation from a supporting surface,

opposed brackets operatively connected to the inner side of said ringmember and to said support members,

a horizontal foot-actuable bail assembly extending be tween and tiltablyconnected to said brackets,

opposed guide members operatively secured to the outer side of said ringmember,

a pair of upstanding lifting and tilting arms extending slidably throughsaid guide members, bracket means connecting the lower end of each armto the adjacent bracket for movement of said arms with said bailassembly, and

a top member extending between and secured to the upper ends of saidarms.

3. The stand assembly according to claim 2, wherein the plurality ofsupport members are shaped to a box-like configuration with the apicessecured to the inner side of said ring member.

4. The stand assembly according to claim 2, wherein said top member isprovided with a raised central portion, and which includes in addition aband operatively secured to the top member beneath the raised portionand adapted toreleasably clamp the handle of a container when supportedin said stand assembly.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,845,883 2/32Mandel 248-147 2,102,914 12/37 Rienks et al. 248147 CLAUDE A. LE ROY,Primary Examiner.

1. A STAND ASSEMBLY FOR USE WITH REFUSE CONTAINER OR THE LIKE HAVING ASUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL, UPWARDLY FLARING SIDE WALL WITH AN OPEN UPPEREND AND A LOWER END, A BASE WALL EXTENDED ACROSS THE LOWER END, A COVERREMOVABLY SECURED ON THE UPPER END, AND THE COVER HAVING AN UPWARDLYEXTENDING, SUBSTANTIALLY U-SHAPED HANDLE, THE STAND ASSEMBLY COMPRISING:AN ANNULAR RING MEMBER EXTENDING ABOUT THE CONTAINER LOWER END; PLURALSUPPORT MEMBERS SECURED TO THE RING MEMBER AND SUPPORTING THE CONTAINERBASE WALL; A PLURALITY OF LEG MEMBERS SECURED TO THE RING MEMBER TOSUPPORT THE SAME IN SPACED LOCATION UPWARDLY FROM A SUPPORTING SURFACE;OUTWARDLY EXTENDING GUIDE MEMBERS, HAVING SLOTS FORMED THEREIN, SECUREDTO THE RING MEMBER ON OPPOSITE SIDES THEREOF, SUPPORT BRACKETS HAVINGAPERTURES THEREIN, DEPENDING FROM THE SUPPORT MEMBERS AT SPACEDLOCATIONS BENEATH THE RING MEMBER; AN ACTUATING BAIL ASSEMBLY INCLUDINGA SUBSTANTIALLY U-SHAPED MAIN BAIL PORTION WITH A FOOT ENGAGED BIGHTPORTION AND SIDE ELEMENTS WITH INTERMEDIATE BEARING PORTIONS, THEBEARING PORTIONS BEING PIVOTALLY JOURNALLED IN THE APERTURES OF SAIDSUPPORT BRACKETS, AND THE SIDE ELEMENTS HAVING OUTWARDLY EXTENDED ENDPORTIONS; CONNECTION BRACKET MEANS PIVOTALLY SECURED TO THE END PORTIONSOF THE SIDE ELEMENTS; COVER ACTUATING ARM MEANS INCLUDING ELONGATED SIDEARMS, WITH LOWER ENDS CONNECTED TO THE CONNECTION BRACKET MEANS,EXTENDING SLIDABLY THROUGH THE SLOTS IN THE GUIDE MEMBERS; A TOP MEMBEREXTENDING BETWEEN THE SIDE ARMS AND HAVING A RAISED CENTRAL PORTION; ANANNULAR BAND SECURED TO THE TOP MEMBER BENEATH THE RAISED CENTRALPORTION THEREOF, THE TOP MEMBER BEING EXTENDED ACROSS THE CONTAINERCOVER WITH A BAND EXTENDING ABOUT THE HANDLE THEREOF; AND A SPRING CLIP,RELEASABLY SECURED TO THE BAND AND CLAMPING THE HANDLE AGAINST THECENTRAL PORTION.